Budgie Mother Won't Feed Third

[Gioia 0]

Hello there,

I have one year old budgies that just laid a round of eggs. To my surprise they were fertile. The mother Budgie is doing a good job with the first two that arrived last week. The newest baby arrived yesterday and she refuses to feed it. I have taken it out of the breeding box and have been hand feeding it. I tried to take the other two out and see if she would respond, but no she did not. The father Budgie tried to throw the babies out of the cage and broke open a egg that wasn't ready. So, had to get another cage to seperate him from the babies. Is that common? Well, I am up all through the night with this little one. I have it on a heating pad in a butter box and feeding it Kaytee exact. If there is anything that I am doing wrong, or is there are any suggestions please feel free. The other two babies are huge and happy. They are even starting to open thier eyes. This one hatched yesterday is doing fine. I just wish there was a way she would take over.

Thank you, Gioia

[**KAZ** 0]

The difference in ages mean the mother has to feed a different "formula" to the older babies. Removing the Dad who is her support system may not have been the best course of action but she can manage to feed her babies alone if there is plentiful fresh food available to her. You could try leaving the baby in the nest and feeding it yourself until she takes over.

Edited April 19, 2012 by **KAZ**

[Finnie 0]

I had a similar situation once, where the mother fed the first two chicks just fine, but wouldn't care at all for any of the subsequent hatchlings. And each one died, except for the last one that I took away, like you have done, and hand raised it myself. Advice I was given in a phone conference with an Avian vet was that most likely, the parents didn't feel they could "handle" a larger clutch than just the two, and so the first two were well cared for, but none of the others. Supplement feeding the younger chicks didn't save them, because the mother just wasn't participating. She could have been pushing them aside. I know that she actually threw the youngest one out of the box, and I found it on the floor of the cage. That's when I decided to take it myself.

 

 

This might not apply to your case, but who knows?

 

As far as raising the chick on your own, the sleep deprivation can be pretty bad in the beginning. But after a few days, you should be able to stretch out the night feedings to four or five hours. (I found this out because I accidently overslept once, and the chick was fine.)

 

I'm not sure exactly when you can eliminate night feeds, but I know that by two weeks of age they can go 12 hours.

[Gioia 0]

Thank you so much for replies. I am working hard to keep this new one alive. I am wondering if I should try to put this little one back in the nest? The difference in size is huge. Well, I would love to get some thought on that. I appreciate any and all help. Should I continue to feed the baby kaytee exact? Should I change the formula? Add some ground up seed in it?

Thank you, Gioia

[Finnie 0]

I think if you wanted to try putting the chick back with the mother, you should keep an eye on whether she accepts it or not. I was going to say that if you've had it away from her for a few days, she might not take it back, but then I thought about how people foster chicks to other mothers, and that works out okay, So maybe she will take it in and feed it.

 

 

Kaytee Exact is fine to feed it, but recently Kaytee recalled some of their formula, so you will want to check the use by date on your package to make sure yours isn't included in the recall. If not, it should be fine. Here is the topic:

http://forums.budgiebreeders.asn.au/index.php?showtopic=31844

 

 

Adding ground up seed is unnecessary, hand rearing formula is designed to be complete. The chick will learn to eat seed when it gets big enough to nibble and peck at things.

 

 

If you put it back in the nest, you will want to make sure the mother feeds it, and also that it stays in the huddle with the other chicks for warmth, and not pushed to the side or thrown out of the box, Don't worry about the larger chicks squashing it. In larger clutches, there is always a big size difference, and the smallest ones always make their way to the bottom of the pile. That must be the way it works best, and they don't get smashed.

 

 

Good luck!

[Gioia 0]

Hello there,I just wanted to thank you for the info. The mother or father did throw the babies out of the box. I thought it was the father and separated him. I watched her neglect the last baby and took over. It's doing great! I have got the other two to a place where they have started to forage for food on their own starting today. I wonder if I should keep them out of their nesting box now they are about 2 weeks? The mother seems to be trying to coax them to the edge of the box to feed. Well, this has been a great experience. Tiring but great, Thanks for the words of wisdom I am grateful.Gioia

[Finnie 0]

As long as it's working to keep them in the nest, I would let it continue. As long as the mother doesn't show any signs of trying to start a new clutch. Probably with no cock in there, that won't happen, but I have had hens who, after I took them out of a breeding cage to a resting cage, started (or kept on) laying eggs on the floor. Sometimes they want to lay, even with no cock. So when the oldest chick is around four weeks old, I would just look for signs that the mother might be ready to kick the chicks out or turn on them. (I'm not trying to scare you, probably it may never happen, just know to be alert, as always. )